No. A songwriter has the right to release their songs first. If you heard an unreleased track at a concert, or if a song leaked before the album comes out, you cannot obtain a compulsory mechanical license for that song until the artist has officially released and distributed it.
Articles in this section
- Can I license international songs (songs written by non-US residents)?
- Can I rearrange the song?
- Can I change the style/genre/key/time signature?
- Can I change the melody?
- Can I change the lyrics to my cover song?
- Can I license a song that hasn't been released yet?
- Can I distribute internationally?
- How do I get licenses for a medley?
- Can I use samples from the original audio in my recording?
- I'm from a country other than the United States. Can I still get a license from you?